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leFH18 in action in Syria, today!

Discussion in 'Artillery' started by Richard71, May 18, 2015.

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  1. Richard71

    Richard71 Member

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    https://youtu.be/Ael0p0pWa54

    I found this online today. It appears to be a museum piece, without shield, in use by a Syrian rebel group. I knew the Syrians used Panzer IV, post-war, but not about other German weapons being supplied.
    Submitted for the interest of forum viewers. Any comments welcome (particularly regarding how the piece got to Syria) as this is a rare sight.
     
    Richard71, May 18, 2015
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    PzJgr, von Poop, Dave55 and 1 other person like this.
  2. Dave55

    Dave55 Member

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    Nice find! Thanks
     
    Dave55, May 18, 2015
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  3. Richard71

    Richard71 Member

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    Some stills from the video:
     

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    Richard71, May 18, 2015
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  4. Richard71

    Richard71 Member

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    #2
     

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    Richard71, May 18, 2015
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  5. Dave55

    Dave55 Member

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    Better get Capt Winters over there, chop chop! :)
     
    Dave55, May 18, 2015
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  6. von Poop

    von Poop Waspish

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    Great spot.

    We had some chatter a while back, either here or 2T, on supply routes to the middle east post-war. Maybe something about the French sending out a lot of German gear to friendly or post-imperial regimes. Or just French dealers rather than the government.
    I honestly can't remember the details though. Might be able to find more clarity when not on the phone.
     
    von Poop, May 18, 2015
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  7. Poppy

    Poppy grasshopper

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    Would they be using ww2 era munitions with that?
     
    Poppy, May 18, 2015
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  8. Carronade

    Carronade Ace

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    That's what I was wondering, even if they had the gun laying around....apparently they had some ammo somewhere. I suppose they might have gotten the guns when they got the PzIVs.
     
    Carronade, May 18, 2015
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  9. Sheldrake

    Sheldrake Member

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    The piece is fired from a long lanyard after appeals to the almighty which makes me wonder whether they trust the ammunition!

    The artillery piece may have been supplied by the French prior to 1967. The French offloaded Pz IV and Stug so why not leFH18? It could very well have been from the military museum.
     
    Sheldrake, May 18, 2015
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  10. Poppy

    Poppy grasshopper

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    Always with the appeals. Everything that goes bang is accompanied with an appeal yonder.
    But if it was WW2 ammo being used, kudos to the manufacturer.
     
    Poppy, May 18, 2015
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  11. Dave55

    Dave55 Member

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    I made a boo boo with my Capt Winters reference. I thought the piece in Syria was a 15.5 cm K 418(f) like the ones he was sent to knock out in Normandy
     
    Dave55, May 18, 2015
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  12. Sheldrake

    Sheldrake Member

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    Quite a lot of WW2 weapons were in use for a very long time., The British 25 pdr and 5.5" and the US 105 and 155 all were used until at least the late C20th. Some German artillery was used by Finland, various eastern bloc and some in south America. There must have been some factory still turning out the ammunition.
     
    Sheldrake, May 19, 2015
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